TikToker and mom Dani (@danimorin13) recently drew attention to a layout change at her local Costco. She says it left her adjusting her diaper-purchasing habits.
"Costco did something so sneaky," she says in a video that's been viewed over 325,000 times. "These are the diapers. And they're in the complete back of the store. ... They used to be right next to the registers. The reason that they have now done this is because moms are the most likely to purchase things."
Of course, it wasn't just the diapers that moved. Dani shows viewers all the baby-related products, such as formula and wipes, were shifted to "the back corner of the store." This means parents, who might even have their kids in tow, have to walk the entire span of the store. That's even if they just came in for the one item.
"So for moms on a budget like me, especially with my first child, I could only afford the Kirkland brand. So I would only walk into Costco, make a right, grab the diapers, and leave," the TikToker continues. "But now they're in the back. So it's more likely that you're going to purchase other things before you get to those discounted diapers."
Dani told the Daily Dot that she thinks “this is a bigger picture of inflation issues."
"The stores aren’t making enough and families have no money to spend. Also in this time parents are very vulnerable with marketing these days brands and manufacturers are getting very creative how to get parents to spend and the relocation of baby food and diapers and necessities is one of those ways to get parents to have to walk through the ads of a store," she said.
@danimorin13 Store layouts are always so interesting to me. #momswhoshop
♬ original sound - Dani | Mom & Child Safety
Why are Costco diapers in the back of the store?
Retail store layouts are often designed in ways that will encourage customers to make more purchases and increase profitability. And Costco is no exception.
"It creates a situation where even the most determined single-item hunter shopper will be persuaded into many additional purchases," Costco warehouse designer Stan Laegreid wrote for Fast Company in 2014. "This carefully orchestrated layout of temptation and choreography results in an unexpected shopping spree that makes Costco a genius at seducing and catering to its customers at the same time."
But it isn't necessarily the only factor at play. A Costco employee previously told Business Insider that one reason for the store's constantly shifting layout is that "vendors pay to have placements changed regularly to generate higher sales."
What Costco shoppers have to say
For the most part, commenters on Dani's TikTok didn't seem too bothered by having to trek through the whole of Costco to get to the diapers. Quite a few said that their local Costcos had already been shelving baby items at the back of the store for years.
"Ours have always been in the back corner," wrote @k.r.j.90. "Just gotta walk a bit further, grab the diapers and leave."
"Every Costco I've been to is set up that way," @dontbeasaltyb remarked.
"Costco moves stuff around occasionally to keep people from just walking to one place and then leaving," @shr_bear added. "They want you to walk around. It's also why their aisles aren't labeled."
One commenter who identified herself as a Costco employee claimed that the reason for this particular portion of the layout is because of how many pallets of diapers they have to restock daily.
"It's way easier to have it be by receiving so it's easier to stock," she wrote.
Still, several noted their local Costcos actually do keep diapers up by the registers. But there are mixed opinions on that strategy as well.
"Ours used to be in the back and I loved it. Less foot traffic," said @briannak1996. "They're by the registers now and it's a mess to get to with all the people in line to check out."
The Daily Dot has reached out to Costco via its website's media contact form.
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